The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-25
THE ORIGIN or CHRISTMAS.
The e1th e December Was Originally
Tho Enmnn eatnrnalia.

The e5th Il December Was Originally
the Roman >aturnalia.
The celebration Of Christmas a. the
birthday of Jesus IFS universal among
Christians oi every sect. and as such 10
is regarded throughout Christendom as
the sweetest. hottest Of an holidays. And
with the long mooted question, is Dec. p
the anniversary of Christs BIRTH we have
nothing 10 do. For 10 matters nothing
whether 10 was q this particular
date that the Christ Child first
Day in Bethlehems lowly manger.
Tais is the day that has been ac-
Cepted and viii be celebrated 20 the end
of time. 10 Will DC Of interest 10 most
readers. however, 70 note that il was not
until the Third or Fourth century that
the present date WAS agreed upon, and
that Jan. J. Jan. g. March % and Sept.
- were variOusly observed during the
earlier centuries by various bodies of
Christians. The fixing Of the date seems
10 havc been accomplished 10y julius J.,
who presided a. pope or bishop Of Rome
from o31 90 3j4 s. ID.
Christmas is not alone among Chris
tan holidays in being the follower Of q
FNlIINH NIFN FIillAItIN mummy MiAA"lHA NN' IN
cans. In Rome 10 was called the Satur-
MALTA. And The observance of toe winter
feast. low Christmas. WAS not confined 20
the Romans THE holiday appears TO
have been Kept by Tie S~candinaylans, tine
pcrsians and the Phuuic.ans. end per-
haps hy many other people. All these na-
tons w%orshiped the sun. under one fOrin or
other. as the giyer Of an life. Each gave
the deity 70 different name. 40 IoiIe Dee
was w%o1slnped under one Of the characters
attributed to Saturn. the father of the
gods among the Scandinayians as Odin. or
Wooden. thc father of Thor; with the Per
sIansa Mithras. probably The same as the
Irish Mithr. and with the phULiclans his
rume was Baal or Bel.
Ail these nations chose about the sare
date for Ills feast. This is supposed 90
have been caused boy the feelings of de-
light experienced shortly after Dec 81. be-
cause the days then begin 90 lengthcn.
Then the sun begins his upward course.
and spring and summer are approaching.
For somewhat similar reasons the pagans
Of old held % great midsummer feast az Or
about June q.
The m.dwinter festival Of the Satur-
MALTA was observed for several days in
the most unreStraincd manner every
body Toasted and work was quite sus-
pended. Even the slaves were allowed
complete liberty for the time being.
laurcls and eNcrgreeus were everywhere
displayed. tine same ms now. and gifts were
exchanged. and there were especial greet
iues for the season. ln the north these
rejoiciucs were carried on in some-
what rudor fashion. but were en-
tered into with not less hearty
enthusiasm Fires were everywhere kim
died. both indoors and ont. i'm honor of
0din and Thor. the Druids gathered the
.scrcd mist.etoe, and both mep and cattle
were sacrificed TO the savage divinities.
The ancient Pcrsians also burned immense
Donfires at this season, and between them
and the Druids of western Europe some
sort Of relationship existed.
IN the later days of the Roman empire
the feast Of the Saturnaha deleriOrated
into % gross dehauch-sO gross. indeed,
that few historians have cared TO dcfle
their pages with its details.
II was for the purpose Of counteracting
the evil Influences Of the Saturualia, 10
the celebration of which the young of both
sexes were very prone, that tie early
Christian teachers in Rome sought 90
adapt the rites of heather rejoicing and
tender them subserVient, instead If am
tacOnistic. 10 the cause of religion. Ger
tain forms Of amusement were forbidden
AMI others not 20 gross We're substituted,
but 10 was a long lime before tle people
and the CLERGY were of one mind regard
Ing Tie O~bservances Of Christmas
IN Britain there were other modiica-
tious TO the modified Sa,urnalia were
added first some Of the Druidical rites and
supcrsutions. and, after the arrival of The
SaXOus. some OF tire ceremonies OF the
ancient Germans and S~candinayians. OF
these were the Burning of the Nulc l0'
and The superetitiOus regarding tLc Wis-
tlet0c Dough.
I'm England thc Burning of the 4u.e l0r
takes place Christmas eve. lu feutal
times thc bringing iu of tle pouior0us
bi0ck ANA burning DO 100 the wide hearth
of the great chimney OF tae baron'al Ian
Was observed WitA the greatest rel0.c.n--
The dragging of the luie from thc forest
o. the castle was ana elaborate ceremony
OF itself. and as 10 passed every vayiarcr
raised Dis hat, for well he knew t-at its
flame would light mp scenes of leastins
and forgiveness Of ola wrongs. ond that
all would De welcome.
The following quaint ditty. aIrorCs Ci
the Nule, is supposed TO have been written
during The reign Of Henry VI;
Welcome De- thou. heavenly King.
Welcome, born Oh tins morning.
Welcome, for whom we sHaA sing;
Welcome Aul-